The Boys and Girls Clubs of Polk County recently announced it had received a $275,000 matching grant from The Mosaic Company to open new clubs in Bartow and Mulberry. A portion of that funding will be used to develop a new kitchen at the Bartow club location, ensuring approximately 2,400 at-risk youth throughout Polk County will have access to healthy food that helps them show up at school prepared to learn.
Currently, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Polk County, which merged seven clubs into one countywide location, provides food to at-risk youth in Bartow, Lakeland, Mulberry, Haines City, Winter Haven and Lake Wales. The addition of the kitchen at the Bartow facility will help expand those services.
The grant, which extends over a three-year period, will help the organization accomplish its goal of expanding to more communities throughout Polk County while providing a safe place for children of all backgrounds – particularly those from disadvantaged circumstances – to develop the qualities needed to become caring, responsible, productive citizens and leaders.
